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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
General Chair:
Dan Churchman (Southern Nuclear)
Technical Program Chair:
Vince Gilbert (Model Performance, LLC)
Assistant Technical Program Chair:
Jon Anderson (ACA Proactive)
Business/Economic Performance Track Leaders:
Tim Schlimpert (MCR Performance Solutions)
Maria Hernandez (Duke Energy)
Decommissioning Track Leader:
Jim Byrne (Byrne & Assoc., LLC)
Executive/Leadership Track Leaders:
Bob Coward (MPR)
Ken Thomas
Engineering and Equipment Reliability Track Leaders:
Ray Herb (Southern Nuclear)
Pareez Golub (Sargent and Lundy)
Ted Quinn (Technology Resources)
Nuclear Supply Chain Track Leaders:
William Fry (Duke Energy)
Jim Ripple (Southern Nuclear)
Maintenance and Work Management Track Leaders:
Bryant Hearne (INPO)
Pete Arthur (INPO)
John McDonald (ACA Proactive)
Operations/Ops Training Track Leaders:
Bruce Hennigan (Exelon Corporation)
Dan Randolph (Exelon Corporation)
Jason Lanier (Duke Energy)
Performance Improvement Track Leaders:
Fred Lake (WD Associates)
Kevin Rackley (TVA)
Regulatory Relations Track Leaders:
Garry Young (Entergy)
Luis Betancourt (US NRC)
Risk Management Track Leaders:
Gene Kelly (Exelon Corporation)
Tim Crook (MCR Performance Solutions)
Technology and Innovation Track Leaders:
John Downing (John Downing Consulting LLC)
Adam Dow (Southern California Edison)
Lead Knowledge Manager:
Sarah Lynn (Luminant)
Knowledge Managers:
Saieed Ahmed (Exelon Corporation)
Lee Causey (Duke Energy)
Robby Christian (INL)
Maxwell Daniels (IAEA)
Shahrukh Khan (Georgetown University)
Matthew Parsons (PSU)
Matthew Mairinger (Ontario Power Generation)
Sudipta Saha (U of S. Carolina)
Greg Swain (Duke Energy)
Amber Von Ruden (Exelon Corporation)
